Ecological Footprint Calculator | Sustainly

An ecological footprint measures how much nature it takes to support people or an economy. It tracks the demand on natural resources and compares it to Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them.

Your personal ecological footprint represents the amount of biologically productive land and water required to produce the resources you consume and absorb the waste you generate.

Calculating your ecological footprint helps you:

• Understand your personal environmental impact
• Identify areas where you can reduce your consumption
• Make more sustainable lifestyle choices
• Contribute to global sustainability efforts
• Save money by reducing unnecessary consumption

Our calculators provide estimates based on standard environmental conversion factors and average consumption patterns. While they give you a good indication of your environmental impact, they should be considered educational tools rather than precise measurements.

Factors that affect accuracy include:

• Regional differences in energy production
• Individual lifestyle variations
• Local infrastructure and services
• Seasonal consumption patterns

Our carbon footprint calculator uses standard conversion factors:

• Electricity: 0.5 kg CO2 per kWh (varies by energy source)
• Natural Gas: 5.3 kg CO2 per therm
• Car Travel: 0.4 kg CO2 per mile (average vehicle)
• Flights: 90 kg CO2 per short-haul flight

These figures are based on EPA and international environmental agency standards.

Our water calculator considers:

• Showering: 9 liters per minute (standard showerhead)
• Laundry: 150 liters per load (average washing machine)
• Dishwashing: 75 liters (hand) vs 15 liters (efficient dishwasher)
• Car Washing: 150 liters per wash

These estimates help you understand where you can conserve water most effectively.

We calculate plastic waste using average weights:

• Plastic Bottles: 50 grams each
• Plastic Bags: 10 grams each
• Food Packaging: 100 grams per item
• Single-use Plastics: 20 grams each

This helps visualize the physical impact of your plastic consumption over time.

Based on impact, here are the most effective actions:

1. Transportation: Use public transit, carpool, or switch to electric vehicles
2. Home Energy: Switch to renewable energy and improve insulation
3. Diet: Reduce meat consumption and food waste
4. Shopping: Buy less, choose sustainable products, avoid single-use plastics
5. Home: Install energy-efficient appliances and LED lighting

Food waste has multiple environmental impacts:

• Greenhouse Gases: Decomposing food in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas
• Resource Waste: Wasted food means wasted water, energy, and land used in production
• Economic Loss: Households lose money on uneaten food
• Land Use: More land is needed to grow food that won't be consumed

Reducing food waste is one of the most effective individual climate actions.

According to the Global Footprint Network:

• Global Average: 2.7 global hectares per person
• US Average: 8.1 global hectares per person
• European Average: 4.7 global hectares per person
• Earth's Capacity: 1.6 global hectares per person

This means humanity currently uses about 1.7 Earths' worth of resources annually - we're living beyond our planetary means.